Middle School – Page 16

Middle School, Realistic Fiction, Tween Reads, Uncategorized

Somebody on This Bus is Going to Be Famous – but why?

Posted on July 29, 2014July 29, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Somebody on This Bus is Going to Be Famous, by J.B. Cheaney (Sept. 2014, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky), $16.99, ISBN: 9781402292972

Recommended for ages 9-13

The bus picks the kids up every day, and heads to school. Someone, someday soon, is going to be famous. But why?

The story takes a deeper look into the lives of nine people on that bus – eight kids, one adult (the bus driver, Ms. B), twining their narratives, as their lives intersect, and leading to a taut climax. There’s Shelley, the wannabe pop star; Miranda, so desperate to have popular kids be her friend that she’ll let them walk all over her; Spencer, the nerd who’s having a crisis of faith in himself; Igor, whose dad is a big mystery that he wants to unravel; Jay, the jock whose grandfather – his biggest fan – is slipping away; Bender, the son who can’t get out of his brother’s shadow, Matthew, who’s just… average – at first; and Alice, who has some secrets of her own. Tied into these stories is the story of the high school graduation of 1985, where a prank was carried out, with tragic circumstances.

I had a rough time with this book. I didn’t like most of the characters, who just didn’t seem to be like good people. As I thought more about them, though, I realized that it’s not that they’re good or bad, they’re kids. They’re largely elementary and middle school students, and the depictions are pretty realistic-adolescence can be a hard time, and sometimes, tweens and teens and adults just don’t speak one another’s language. The narratives are largely depressing – there is some humor in the book, but most of these kids have some pretty awful stuff happening in their lives.

The ending was satisfying, and the overall story will draw readers in with the different narratives. The book can be used in a book group discussion on different personalities working together.

Fiction, Humor, Middle School, Tween Reads, Uncategorized

28 Tricks for a Fearless Grade 6: One Kid’s Survival Guide

Posted on July 16, 2014July 16, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

28 Tricks for a Fearless Grade 6, by Catherine Austen (James Lorimer & Company, Sept. 2014). $8.95, ISBN: 9781459406193

Recommended for ages 8-12

Dave Davidson is a good kid who just wants to help his friends. He wants to cure his friends of different phobias, whether it’s about dancing in public or of dogs. He’s positive he has the knowledge to get the job done, and somehow, it kind of does – with a little bit of mess along the way.

This is a book in a vein similar to the Wimpy Kid series, albeit told in the third person. The chapters are set up similar to journal entries (it reminded me of the Nickelodeon show, Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide), the tips give readers an idea of what the upcoming chapter covers (for example: “Tip #3: Friends Don’t Let Friends Break Their Ankles”). Kids who roll their eyes at the thought of sitting down and reading may find this book easier to jump into; the characters are fun and welcoming to a reader, and the amusing situations that come up for the group will appeal to middle grade readers.

For girls who want to read a more female-oriented version of the story, Ms. Austen has a companion book, 26 Tips for Surviving Grade 6, which received both the 2012 Quebec Writers’ Foundation Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature and the 2012-2013 Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award in English Fiction. The author’s website also has some fun tips for surviving everything from tornadoes to zombie attacks, and information on different phobias. (For all those fledgling Dave Davidsons out there!)

The book will be released on September 1, but you can pre-order it on Amazon right now.

Fiction, Middle School, Tween Reads

The Fourteenth Goldfish – family bonding through science!

Posted on July 15, 2014July 15, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Fourteenth Goldfish, by Jennifer L. Holm (Random House Children’s, August 2014). $16.99, ISBN: 9780375870644

Recommended for ages 10-16

Eleven year-old Ellie isn’t a big fan of change – she only just found out that her goldfish, the one she thought lived to a ripe old age, was a series of 13 goldfish. Her mother didn’t have the heart to tell her otherwise. So when this awkward teenaged boy named Melvin shows up, claiming to be her grandfather – he certainly dresses the part – she’s thrown for a loop.

Grandpa Melvin has figured out the secret to reversing aging, and he can’t wait to release his results. Ellie finds herself reading more about science, and the men and women whose discoveries changed the world – but she also learns that there are consequences for every discovery, no matter how groundbreaking. Now, if her grandfather could just get out of detention, she could share her thoughts with him.

Jennifer L. Holm is best known for her Babymouse and Squish graphic novel series, which I love. The Fourteenth Goldfish just continues her winning streak. The book is fantastic. The pacing is perfect for middle-graders, and they won’t want to put it down. She’s given readers some memorable characters, most notably, the irascible Grandpa Melvin – the misunderstood genius, the cantankerous old man in a kid’s body; Holm takes what could have been an arrogant, annoying character, and gives him depth and pathos. Ellie’s relationship with her grandfather grows roots as she learns more about his life, and even though she (and, through narration, we readers) understands his motivations, finds a strength within herself to stand apart. It’s a great coming of age story on one level, and a sweet tale about family on another.

Make sure The Fourteenth Goldfish is on your bookshelves when it hits stores on August 26th. This is the back-to-school novel to read.

Fiction, Middle School, Tween Reads

Desmond Pucket is back, with a Mountain Full of Monsters!

Posted on June 10, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Desmond Pucket and the Mountain Full of Monsters, by Mark Tatulli (Andrews-McMeel, August 2014). $13.99, ISBN: 9781449435493

Recommended for ages 8-12

Desmond Pucket, star of Desmond Pucket Makes Monster Magic, is back and he’s finally on the class trip to Crab Shell Pier, where the Mountain Full of Monsters awaits! He’s dying to ask his crush to go on the ride with him, but he’s thwarted by Mr. Needles, the school disciplinary officer who has it in for poor Desmond, and bully Scott Seltzer. When he finds out that the Mountain Full of Monsters is scheduled for demolition, he’s determined to save it – in his own way, naturally – and discovers that kids will actually pay him to scare their friends, brothers, and sisters! Can Desmond stay one step ahead of Mr. Needles and make his dreams come true again?

If you enjoyed the first Desmond Pucket book, you’ll be very happy with Desmond Pucket and the Mountain Full of Monsters. The sequel picks up shortly after the first book ends, and the main characters are all in place, waiting to be rejoined by the reader. The reading is fast-paced and funny, told by Desmond via his journal. The book is filled with “Desmond’s” scribbles and illustrations, and there are more tricks and recipes this time. Desmond is a likable character, and you really want him to succeed. He’s entrepreneurial this time out, which should get kids thinking about making their own money doing what they love. It sends a great message!

The Desmond Pucket site offers teacher and librarian resources, which link the books to the Common Core. Currently, there are guides only for Desmond Pucket Makes Monster Magic, but I hope, with the release of Desmond Pucket and the Mountain Full of Monsters in August, that these resources will be updated to include the new book. There are also resources for using graphic novels in the classroom.

These are great books to have available to middle grade readers, particularly boys, who love the Wimpy Kid books.

Fiction, Middle School, Tween Reads

Dorothy’s Derby Chronicles: Roller Derby, Wacky Grandmas, and Possibly, a Haunted Roller Rink

Posted on May 23, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Dorothy’s Derby Chronicles: Rise of the Undead Redhead, by Meghan Dougherty (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2014). $6.99, ISBN: 9781402295355

Recommended for ages 10+

Dorothy and her younger sister, Sam, have been sent to live with their grandmother while her mother gets her life sorted out. The only thing is, Grandma isn’t your run-of-the-mill grandmother – she drives a hearse called Dead Betty, and wears distinctly un-grandmotherly clothes. All Dorothy wants to do is fade into the new school year, but Grandma – coupled with Dorothy’s clumsiness – make her a target for the local mean girl group, the Pom-Poms. Dorothy does make some new friends, though – she, Gigi, and Jade become a tight threesome, and somehow find themselves forming a roller derby team! Grandma – who used to be Shotgun Sally in her roller derby days – signs on as coach, and the girls have to recruit more team members before the big bout. And they also need to learn the rules of roller derby. And how to skate. The thing is, the rink they practice at may be haunted, and Dorothy is terrified that her mother – who’s forbidden roller skating – will somehow find out what’s going on. Can the girls pull it together and become a team?

Where was this series when I was a kid, watching late-night roller derby on off-network TV and hitting the roller rinks with my friends when I was in 8th grade? I love the fact that roller derby is starting to see a resurgence in media, and thrilled with this series, which is just too much fun. The author knows and loves her subject – Meghan Dougherty is a derby girl, and manages to give us a fun story about friendship and family, with a wonderfully unconventional and independent group of women, young and old. Alece Birnbach’s illustrations add to the fun, especially when Dougherty lets Birnbach’s pictures narrate the derby action! I really appreciated the nonfictional derby instruction in the book – there are rules and positions, folks! – and will work nicely with Common Core standards, so teachers, get this book on your reading lists for summer.

I can’t wait for the second book in the series, which I’ve already badgered the authors about on Twitter, and I’ll be making sure this book is on my library shelves when it publishes on July 1st. Get in on the action now, and check out the website, where kids can learn more about roller derby and the series’ characters.

Fiction, Middle School, Tween Reads

Did your Summer Experiment involve alien abduction?

Posted on April 8, 2014April 8, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Summer Experiment, by Cathie Pelletier. Sourcebooks Jabberwocky (2014), $16.99, ISBN: 9781402285783

Recommended for ages 10-14

Roberta is an 11 year-old girl living in rural Maine. She’s a straight-A student who’s locked in neverending academic combat with Henry Horton Harris Helmsby, who always manages to take the top prize at the science fair. She and her best friend Marilee plan to spend the summer hanging out together and talking about their crushes, when UFO sightings crop up in the area. She researches the Allagash alien abductions of 1976 – practically in her backyard – and decides that she wants to document the experience of her own alien abduction – with poor Marilee along for the ride – for an award-winning science project! She has to figure out how to contact that aliens, but just leave that to her.

The Summer Experiment is a book that has all the “lazy summer story” details – two best friends, an antagonist older brother, a loving family, with a pinch of drama – that also happens to include UFO sightings. It’s an interesting twist that readers may get a kick out of, and hopefully be spurred to read up more on the real-life Allagash alien abduction stories (the book includes resources for further reading). There is a positive female role model – Roberta – and a few realistic family crises that keep the book with one foot in reality, one in fantasy. This would provide an interesting summer reading program that could include a viewing of another real-life alien abduction story turned movie, Fire in the Sky, with a discussion afterwards.

The author’s webpage offers information about the author and her books, tour dates, and contact information.

Middle School, Non-Fiction, Tween Reads

ChitChat Makes Phonics and Language Made Interesting for Middle Graders

Posted on March 31, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

ChitChat: Celebrating the World’s Languages, by Jude Isabella/Illustrated by Kathy Boake. Kids Can Press (2013), $17.95, ISBN: 9781554537877

Recommended for ages 9-12

ChitChat takes a look at language – spoken, written, and sign; how it’s evolved, and how it continues to evolve over time. Author Jude Isabella talks about everything from phonics sentence structures to the Rosetta Stone, slang, dead and endangered languages to how babies and toddlers can learn up to one new word every 90 seconds – all in 44 pages. It’s an incredible amount of information packed into a relative handful of pages, and yet nothing feels forced, rushed, cut off, or – and this is the most important part – boring.

Kathy Boakes’ illustrations are fun and interesting; she creates fun graphics using distorted faces from a wealth of ethnicities and giant mouths that call attention to interesting facts. There are fun callout boxes and graphics, including an interesting look at endangered languages of the world set against a map of the world. I was particularly happy to see a section devoted to diagramming a sentence – I haven’t seen one of those in far too long!

ChitChat is a good book to have in school and home libraries. Middle graders will get a kick out of the bite-sized facts and information, and pick up some Victorian slang while they’re at it (“fizzing fart catcher” is really a term I’d like to see someone bring back).

Fiction, Middle School, Science Fiction, Teen, Tween Reads

Henry and the Incredibly Incorrigible, Inconveniently Intelligent Smart Human makes humans the invention.

Posted on March 29, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Henry and the Incredibly Incorrigble, Inconveniently Intelligent Smart Human, by L.A. Messina. Tater Tot Books (2014), eBook: $3.99 ISBN: 9780984901838

Recommended for ages 10-14

Henry is a young teen robot in his 13th upgrade. He’s not the popular kid at school, and he has a faulty processor that comes from a virus that attacked his system when he was younger. When his father’s boss shows up at their home one night with a new human model to test for the market, Henry is thrilled – his own human! But this human isn’t a slack-jawed, drooling blank slate like most humans are. This one makes up words, can do things without extensively detailed commands, and doesn’t want to sleep in his box because it’s not comfortable. At first, Henry is worried – what if this human goes berserk like the one that went on a rampage in his mother’s business? – but he comes to realize that the HueManTech ETC-420- GX-2, or “E”, as Henry calls him, is a very special model.

Unfortunately, Henry’s not the only one who thinks “E” is special, which leads to a taut race to unravel the truth about E, especially when the government begins showing an interest in E and Henry’s family.

The book starts out slow as Ms. Messina establishes the drudgery of Henry’s young teen life – mocked at school, boring job at his mother’s spa, Henry is the lonely kid who takes comfort in his comic books and video games, until something exciting – E’s arrival – sparks up his life. Even then, the narrative moves at a slower pace as Henry discovers how special E really is. But once the plot kicks into motion, involving the government and the origins for both E and Henry, the story moves at a great pace that kept me turning pages and wanting to know more.

The book, available via e-book format, is a good read for tweens and young teens. It provides a wealth of opportunities to discuss what would happen in a society where robots were on the top of things and humans were the creation; it also offers chances to discuss morality and the government. It would be a good discussion group story for educators to encourage among their students and patrons.

Lynn Messina’s website offers a book trailer for Henry, along with fun extras for readers.

Graphic Novels, Middle School, Non-Fiction, Teen, Tween Reads

Smile, by Raina Telgemeier – A Graphic Memoir of Tweenhood

Posted on March 25, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Smile, by Raina Telgemeier. Scholastic (2010), $21.99, ISBN: 978-0-54513205-3

Recommended for ages 10+

Raina Telgemeier’s memoir, Smile, is a coming-of-age memoir that’s framed by the night sixth-grader Raina sustained an injury to her mouth that led to a series of surgeries and orthodontia. Throughout middle school and high school, Raina endures braces, surgeries, retainers, and even headgear. She becomes a target for her friends’ teasing, which leads to her pulling away from them and embracing her love of the artistic. When she finally realizes that her friends aren’t the people she wants to surround herself with, she stands her ground and moves on.

Smile is one of those books that everyone should read, kid or adult. It’s all about fair-weather friends, enduring what feels like the end of the world, and ultimately, finding your own voice. It’s empowering, whether you’re 12 or 92, because it’s something we need to be reminded of, from time to time – “it”, whatever it is, won’t last forever, and the people you surround yourself with may not be the best for you. Dig deep down into yourself and love yourself enough to get through it.

The cartoon art makes the story even more accessible,with friendly-looking, expressive characters and warm colors throughout. The endpapers resemble a yearbook -in fact, Ms. Telgemeier used her yearbook signatures for the book – with signatures and well-wishes from friends, setting the tone for the book.

Smile has received numerous accolades – deservedly so! – including winning the Eisner Award for Best Publication for a Teen Audience (2011), the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award (2012), and the Maine Student Book Award (2012). Smile was a finalist for the Children’s Choice Book Award (2011) and has received designation as an ALA Children’s Notable Book (2011), an honor book from the Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards (2010), a Kirkus Best Book of 2010, and a New York Times Editors’ Choice (2010).

There are lesson plans on the Web that allow educators to bring Smile into the classroom. Scholastic offers one on their site, along with a template for students to create their own graphic novels; The Graphic Classroom offers some great classroom discussion tips using the book.

A companion book to Smile, called Sisters, which will be published in August 2014 and will examine the relationship between Raina and her sister, Amara, who briefly appears in Smile.

Fiction, Humor, Middle School, Tween Reads

Desmond Pucket Makes Monster Magic and Get Laughs

Posted on March 25, 2014 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Desmond Pucket Makes Monster Magic, by Mark Tatulli. Andrews McMeel Publishing (2013), $13.99, ISBN: 978-1-4494-3548-6

Recommended for ages 8-12

Desmond Pucket is a middle schooler who loves monster movies and special effects. He’s also a prankster who just can’t resist a good opportunity to use his special effects expertise to scare the daylights out of people, whether it’s his annoying older sister or one of the teachers. He’s been good at covering his tracks, but when he springs a prank on his older sister and her friends at a sleepover, he finds himself in hot water at school – one of his sister’s friends is the daughter of the disciplinary head at his school; he’s been waiting for Desmond to slip up, so he can transfer him to another school! Now Desmond has three chances left before he’s kicked out of school and misses the big field trip to Mountain Full of Monsters at Crab Shell Pier. Can he keep out of trouble for just a little longer?

The book is written in a similar style to Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid; it’s a first-person storyteller and illustrated, presumably by Desmond, with black and white sketches. There are even drawings that look like they’ve been sketched on torn bits of paper, to add to the realism of Desmond, and his friend Ricky’s, notes. The endpapers are green and have the appearance of crumpled paper, with more of Desmond’s drawings and notes to the reader.

I loved this book. It’s fun, light, and Desmond is – like Greg in Diary of a Wimpy Kid – a victim of his own making. He can’t stay out of trouble, but unlike Greg, he knows he’s his own worst enemy. He just can’t resist a good prank opportunity to cause mayhem. He even laments not being able to take credit for his brilliant pranks, because he knows it will get him into trouble. When he decides to pull a prank at his sister’s sleepover, he has no idea of the trouble he’s getting himself into, and when the fallout hits, he has a major crisis on his hands – how can he stay out of trouble and still be himself? He ultimately decides that being true to himself and owning who he is is more important than anything, including a long-awaited school trip.

Andrews McMeel has a wealth of Desmond activities and information online, especially since the second book in the series, Desmond Pucket and the Mountain Full of Monsters, will be released this August. You can read a sample chapter online at the Desmond Pucket site, follow him on Facebook, and download teacher and librarian resources on the Andrews McMeel site, including a guide to teaching with graphic resources and English/Language Arts and Science curriculum connections to work with, using the book. There are games and activities for readers both online and at the end of the book itself, where Desmond shares some notes on how to make fake blood, cool monster growl effects, a phantom knocker, a ghost, and a gelatin dessert.

I am looking forward to more Desmond books, as is my 10 year-old son, who read this book in about an hour and a half last night!